In the time she had lived in the shadows of the Deep Forest, Lakota had never explored the beauty of the fields beyond the Foothills. Getting to them without the aid of wings was difficult without trespassing on the grounds of the Foothills. Now, those grounds were hers, and no caution came from moving along the rocky path to the meadows she'd heard of. The way was steep and loose with rocks and soil, and Aodaun was not happy at all with how often he tripped and tumbled. Unable to force her babe through such pain, no matter how small, she had found herself carrying him once more. It seemed to happen a lot more lately, and Kota feared she was coddling the child. Even so, they trained frequently now, and she didn't doubt that he would rise strong and able by adulthood. Fondly she thought of him, and his own love flowed through her when he realized she was thinking of him. It was a silent connection, one that nobody else was privy to, but the soft smile on Lakota's face was obvious to anyone that knew her that she was content. To strangers she would still appear as sullen and aristocratic as usual, the upturn of lips nearly unnoticeable to those who did not look.

Daybreak.

Lakota felt more comfortable under the glow of the moon than the heat of the sun, and scowled at the brightness she could see on the horizon. Aodaun hated it nearly as much, though more so because of his thick fur and inability to keep cool in such climates. As they finally breached the thick fog, violet irises swept over the beautiful green scenery that was so suddenly revealed. Appreciatively she took in the view, exploring at her leisure with long elegant legs. Ao was the one who paid attention to their immediate surroundings, taking the role Lakota normally did. It was an easy switch of power, one they did often depending on their moods so that neither were caught off guard. So when a glint of gold caught his eye, the polar bear cub pushed at their bond and immediately her own eyes were turning to find what it was that he had discovered. It was certainly a shock to find the hybrid she hadn't gotten along very well with during his journey through the Threshold. Cocking an eyebrow she swiveled on dark ebony legs and moved towards the crevice he had managed to squish his large body into. "Loki? What the hell are you doing here?" Okay yeah it was harsh but she'd never been one to be considered nice. It didn't come with the contract and she never pretended she was anything else. Kneeling down to the ground, she swept her long black banner next to her curled legs, Aodaun clambering off and growling softly at Loki, not sure if he was a threat yet. Kota shushed him out loud, feeling no need to use their bond, and he quieted, though he remained standing just in case. Violet eyes watched Loki, waiting for an answer.